The school is named in honor of William “Bill” S. and Joyce M. Cummings, founders of Cummings Foundation, after a $50 million commitment to the school in 2005. Bill graduated from Tufts University in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.[1]

Established in 1978, the Cummings School is under the supervision of a dean, appointed by the president and the provost, with the approval of the Trustees of Tufts College (the university's governing board). The dean is responsible for all aspects of the school's operations, including medical education, admissions, faculty appointments, clinical relationships, and various affiliated research centers and institutes.

Dr. Deborah T. Kochevar is the dean of Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, as well as the Henry and Lois Foster Professor of Biomedical Sciences.[2] Dr. Kochevar also serves on Cummings Foundation’s board of trustees.[3]

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine was one of several partners that provided resources to establish University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), a private not-for-profit university in Rwanda, Africa. The university utilizes the One Health model to create a global forum for delivery-focused teaching, research, clinical care, and implementation. Other affiliates of UGHE include Partners In Health, Cummings Foundation, Harvard Medical School, and the Government of Rwanda.

Dr. Janetrix Hellen Amuguni, a faculty member at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, played a leading role in incorporating the One Health model into UGHE’s curriculum.[4]